At the age of 10, I lost my mother – a devastating thing that left me stuck in a world that suddenly seemed more uncertain. I found myself living with my father, a man I barely knew. It didn’t last long. Soon, I ran away to my sister’s house to be closer to peace. My mom’s absence made me feel different inside and I often found myself searching for her in the faces of strangers and in the quiet moments of my day.
By the time I was 17, life had thrown another curveball my way: I was pregnant and that news was so overwhelming. How could I have a baby at such a young age and raise a child when I still felt like a child myself? I was still going to school! But as the days passed, I realized that this little life growing inside me was not a burden, it was a chance to rebuild, to find purpose, and to honor the resilience my mother had shown throughout her life.
The challenges were immense. Balancing schoolwork with the demands of pregnancy, enduring the whispers and judgments of peers, and facing the uncertainty of my future without the guidance of my mother was a lot for me. Even at a place like Lumen where I could have my daughter in class with me, it was still hard. Every year when my mom’s death day came around, I started losing myself again. But I was determined to get somewhere in life and couldn’t let it break me down.
Graduation day came last month, and I stand here working my butt off three months pregnant again with my second child, cap and gown waiting for me every day. Lumen has encouraged me to get to where I am today and continues to challenge me. Dreaming about the applause from the crowd feels so far but so close at the same time. There were sleepless nights, moments of doubt, and times when I questioned my ability to continue. But I remembered my mother’s strength, her unwavering belief in me, and I pushed forward.
Today, I stand not just as a mother, but as a student who is trying to do the best she can for her child. This journey was hard, but it was mine and I walked it with my head held high, carrying my mother’s spirit with me every step of the way.